Web sites, such as those accessed via the Internet, are well known. Web sites are commonly used to provide information and to sell merchandise. Merchant web sites are examples of web sites. Merchant web sites are commonly used to sell merchandise on the Internet.
Merchant web sites, as well as other web sites, can require that a consumer or user register, log on, and/or sign in prior to gaining further access to the web site. Such logging on, signing in, and/or registering is generally intended, at least in part, to identify the consumer. Registering and ordering merchandise from a merchant web site often requires that a form be filled out so as to provide information needed by the merchant regarding billing and shipping.
It is often required, such as during registration or merchandise ordering, for the consumer to provide information such as the user's email address, mailing address, shipping address, name, and user name to the web site. This information is entering by typing it into a form on the web site. As anyone who has performed this process will appreciate, such typing is typically time consuming and annoying. The typing process is prone to errors which can further consume time, annoy the consumer, and cause problems in filling an order.
Thus, although this contemporary method, i.e., manually typing, for providing information to web sites has proven generally suitable for its intended purpose, this method possesses inherent deficiencies which detract from its overall effectiveness and desirability. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a way to log on, sign in, register, and/or order merchandise at a web site that is quick, convenient, and less prone to errors.